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11/11


Gardian
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As every year, we attended this morning our Commune’s brief ‘remembrance gathering’ at the village memorial.  I have no doubt that many of you did the same.

It was a salutary reminder of what happened in 1914-1918.  In this small village, which at the time numbered around 350 souls (now 600), there were 20 names read out by Mme le Maire.  When you consider that of the 350 population, probably no more than 100 or so men were eligible for active service.  Twenty men lost and certainly at least as many if not more badly wounded.  The impact on the Commune must have been enormous and you could visit any village around here and doubtless anywhere else in France, and talk about the same statistics.

Here, of the twenty, three from one family and two from another.  The family names are still very much ‘here’ in the Commune though!

I’ve often thought that I’d like to research the background of the young men from here who went to war, but it would involve questioning local folk and might well be badly received, particularly by a ‘foreigner’.

Anyway, after the usual respectful ceremony, it was a 100m walk to the Salle des Fetes for ‘wine & nibbles’.  The French always know what works!

 

 

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It was sobering for me, years back, Gardian, when I drove through France en route for Luxembourg City: Verdun, Metz, et al. Huge cemeteries with forests of white crosses. I have also wandered through them in "our" bit of France, Pas de Calais, down into the Somme etc. What was truly striking were the ages of the fallen.

Our nearby Canton town holds a parade with the town band and as many veterans as can make it walk proudly along wearing their medals.

I have endless respect for the French in this respect: great shame the British seem mainly to ignore Remembrance Sunday, these days.

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Here, they involve some of the youngsters in delivering the elegies to the ‘local lost’.  The only problem is that (at the age of 12 or so), they don’t ‘speak up’ very well.  Everybody is struggling to hear !

Well, the weather was nice (much better than yesterday when it was hissing with rain) and due respect was paid.

 

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